Projects 1955 Chevy 3200 second series bed rust clean up

I have just taken out the 60 year old wooden bed and rails out of my 1955 3200 second series truck. I am going to be rebuilding the wooden bed with new strips, but before getting to that part, I want to clean up underneath....

Everything from the cab forward has been cleaned regarding the frame, rails, etc., but for some reason the guys before me did not behind the cab so it looks like a nice rusty mess....albeit most is really just surface rust. I just wanted to see what would come off with a 4 in wire cup brush on my angle grinder in just a few minutes and the following pictures are the product.

In the one picture, you can see slight bare metal, but the other ones show the cleaned up frame area with a sort of texture to it. Does anyone have recommendation on whether just getting to this textured layer is good or do I need to keep grinding away to get to bare metal?

As always, thanks ahead of time!!

 

Looks like a good candidate for por15. The textured layer still has rust in the pits, hard to get completely out without blasting.
The por15 will bond to the remaining rust and lock it in. Be sure to degrease well.

Those wire cups are hell on angle grinders, works them very hard. Only time I've burnt up an angle grinder they have had wire cups on em

 

what you have done there pretty much is polish the rust. normal paint will not stick to that very well.
one more vote for POR 15.

 

Do you suggest putting por15 directly on the frame or using the metal wire brush to clean it up first? I have never heard of por15 before this.

 

Paint Over Rust.

I guess it's a thing, these days.

 

I recommend knocking the big stuff off with wire wheel then using the metal prep for POR 15. POR 15 is not paint, it bonds with the rust chemically and keeps it from further oxidizing. I have used it on several ot cars as well as my mom's 58 impala, as well as the coupe in my avatar. Heck i used it on a utility trailer I built over 10 years ago and it has worked awesome.. It is not cheap but I like the way it goes on and the trailer is out in the weather here in the northwest.

 

I'd finish pulling the box - you're going to like working on it a lot more with nothing in your way.

 

I don't know how carried away you want to get, but Rusteoleam rusty metal primer covered with Rusteoleum paint looks pretty good and lasts quite a while. I did a '49 Chevy years ago and tore it back apart 12-15 yrs later and was surprised how well it cleaned up. It's not like it will be abused like it was for it's 1st 50 yrs.

Gary

 

It may not be apropos for this application but you should know that POR 15 degrades in sunlight. It should always
be given a protective coat(s) of paint if the metal being covered is open to sunlight.

Another "yes" vote for POR 15!

 

Por15 was great! Before and after....
After the pro15, I got 8ft boards of Ipe, cut them down to spec and shaped the grooves down the sides. Used exterior urethane, no stain, 5 coats, and it brought out the deep red mush color of the ipe. I love how it turned out. Took quite some time from start to finish but I think it turned out great. Thanks for the help everyone.